Academic

SWINE FLU: What it is, how to fight it. One way I?d be cautious about is something I?ve seen pus?

By Glenn Reynolds

SWINE FLU: What it is, how to fight it.

One way I’d be cautious about is something I’ve seen pushed on some survival websites: an elderberry extract called Sambucol. Does it work against flu? Well, this report says maybe yes, and that it increases the production of inflammatory cytokines. Problem is, in the case of particularly deadly flus like bird flu, a too-strong immune response, called a “cytokine storm,” may be what accounts for increased deadliness. Things that promote stronger cytokine production might make things worse. Or not — we don’t really know, which is why I’d favor actual, tested medicines over dubious herbal remedies myself. More on the “cytokine storm” angle here.

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on April 27, 2009 (boomark / email).